Collingwood father-son prospect Darcy Moore to play in Magpies' VFL side

Sports reporter

Darcy Moore (left) will play for Collingwood's VFL team on Saturday. Photo: Joe Armao

His name has been bandied about as one of those potentially impacted by changes to the father-son bidding process, but Darcy Moore will definitely play at least one game for Collingwood - albeit in the VFL.

The 18-year-old Moore, a 199-centimetre key position utility has been named to play for the Magpies' reserves side against Essendon at Victoria Park, in a match that will be televised on the ABC. Moore, the son of dual Brownlow medallist and former club champion Peter Moore will almost certainly be taken by Collingwood as a father-son selection after his performances this year for the Oakleigh Chargers and Vic Metro under 18s.

His inclusion has come about as a result of the VFL's 23rd-man rule, which allows talented youngsters to be afforded a taste of VFL action. Merely picking him in this game does not guarantee that the Magpies will be drafting Moore, as shown last year when Collingwood handed Jake Kelly (the son of former Magpie backman Craig Kelly) three games late in the VFL season as 23rd man. Kelly was overlooked by the Magpies as a father-son prospect, eventually picked by Adelaide as a rookie. Moore is rated as a significantly better prospect than Kelly had been.

Meanwhile, Collingwood defender Alan Toovey has indicated that 2011 Brownlow medallist Dane Swan wanted to play this weekend, and was excruciatingly close to making his senior return on Sunday against West Coast. But having missed out on selection for the Magpies' team to cross the Nullarbor, Swan is almost certain to play the next round against the Brisbane Lions.

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Swan has been sidelined since the round-17 loss to Essendon with a plantar fascia injury in his left foot, a complaint that left him visibly hindered in that match four weeks ago. Coach Nathan Buckley had flagged that Swan could be included against the Eagles, but the midfielder was unable to reach the requisite level of match fitness despite training on Friday.

"I think he was very, very close. I'd say he's a definite to play next week. It's just one of those things, you've just got to tick the boxes at the right times to get in and he obviously just missed out," Toovey said.

Toovey has not played since the match against the Bombers due to a back injury. But he was adamant he's ready to go in his native state as the Magpies prepare for another critical clash in the battle for a finals spot.

"Over the weekend it came up really well. I got a full week of training in and didn't restrict me at all. I'm really looking forward to playing on Sunday."

The Eagles' victory over Adelaide last weekend has rekindled their seemingly extinguished September hopes, and the eighth-placed Magpies are aware that the stakes are high.

"The pressure goes up as the year goes on and these are the sort of games you've got to win to get there," Toovey said. "If it gets down to it and you have to rely on other games for results to go your way, I suppose you pay a bit more attention to them. But I think right now the focus is on making sure that we do what we've got to do."

The 27-year-old threw his support behind the AFL Players' Association push to have a second bye reinstated into the fixture for 2016, after the league confirmed on Thursday that the April opening to next season would see the extra week of rest squeezed out.

"Personally, I love having two byes. I think it's a really good opportunity to look after your body and make sure that if you've got any niggles, you can get over them and go into the last third of the season feeling good.

"Hopefully after next year we'll see two byes again. The way it looks with the season starting later, it'll be the longest season we've ever had. So hopefully for the players' sake the loads are managed well throughout the pre-season and by the time you get through to the latter part of the season, everyone's up and about and not worn down."